“It was clear to me” » Robert Ilyeș revealed why he left Csikszereda, the revelation club in the Superliga: “I told them what I wanted”

A decision that surprised, in the conditions where, without a too generous transfer budget, the technician managed, with a group mostly made up of players who had succeeded in promotion from League 2, to raise the team beyond the status of safe victim.

Robert Ilyeș: “The clash with the Superliga was too tough, we conceded too many goals”

Csikszereda had a difficult start to the season. He hit the Superliga like a wall. And after the debut with a draw with Dinamo (2-2) he received a blow in the plexus, a cruel 1-6 at Slobozia. After that followed 4 defeats and 5 draws.

The first victory came late, only in the 12th round, an unexpected success with U Cluj, 2-1 at home. From then on, the road wound its way up. And in 2026, the team managed not to lose out of 8 home games, accumulating 7 victories.

Already on vacation, after an extremely demanding season, the coach says that “I expected us to have problems at the beginning, because we didn't bring players, and the ones we had didn't cope. There's a big difference between the second league and the Super League.

It was too big a step, even though we had dominated the second tier and had mathematically passed 5 stages before. And when I started in the Superliga, I was watching the matches, analyzing them and I realized that we have big problems on the defensive side.

Although we were playing with 3 defenders, we were conceding too many goals. That's how I came to the conclusion that I don't have to play so openly anymore, even if this is my style, let's be combinative, attack, create opportunities”.

“I had to change something, I needed defensive balance”

That's how he understood that he had to change everything during the winter break. Ilyeș tells that “in that training camp I focused only on the organization of the defensive phase. I wanted to make a compact team, to play only on positive transitions, on the counterattack.

Even though we didn't have fast players in the lanes. Apart from Anderson Ceara, we didn't really have footballers of value or speed. We also changed the system, from 3-4-3 to 4-2-3-1, we brought more defensive balance.

I also brought players. The best buy was Trif, who also gave us balance on the left, so I was able to use Paszka on the right, even though he was left-footed.

Then the Kosovar Kabashi also helped us a lot, as long as he had no medical problems. And for the rest, I used pretty much everything I had from graduation. But the important thing is that the boys understood and we succeeded”.

“We have promoted the most juniors from the Academy of all League 1 teams”

He is proud that Csikszereda was the club that promoted the most youngsters from its own nursery. Robert tells that “if we still couldn't transfer players, we debuted many from the Academy. We had 10 until the end of the championship. And in the last round we also used the 11th, Nyyita Szabolcs, only 17 years old.

We didn't have juniors from 2004 or 2005, we had to use much younger players, from 2006, 2007, even 2008. Although they were not ready for the first league.

We were even above those from Hagi in this chapter, in terms of the number of players promoted to the first team. As far as I know, the club made some money for it. But I don't know how much, because I was never interested in these things”.

“We were no longer compatible!”

When asked why he's leaving though, Robert Ilyes nuances things. It's clear he can't tell everything that happened, 'cause I ate a loaf at this club and I'm not the type to kick ass after I leave.

But it was clear to me, for a long time, that the way I saw football was not compatible with that of the club. I mean I wanted more, I know I can do more. However, I needed valuable players, to make a team the way I wanted, to be able to bring players with qualities that fit my vision.

While the club wanted to bet more on young people, on players from the area. It's hard like that. I also like to promote young people, proof that I have done it, but you also need experience, value. We, apart from Anderson, didn't have a player who could make the difference.

That is the truth. I worked on the concept of the club, with what was made available to me. I couldn't bring who I wanted to. And if you feel like you're not wanted, it's good to take a step forward, to move on.

After 3 years, my contract ended, but no one came to offer me anything for an extension. It is clear that those in the club have other plans. So now I'm waiting, I'm open to any offers. I know what I can do and I am confident that I will come back stronger.”

The Hungarian Szabo Istvan is the favorite

Sources close to the Ciucan club confirm that, despite the results, relations between coach Robert Ilyeș and president Zoltan Szondi were very cold. And that, since the beginning of this year, Hungarian coach Szabo Istvan (59 years old) was seen in the stands at 5-6 home matches of the Csikszereda team.

The one who is free of contract, after the separation from Nyíregyháza, from October 2025. Most likely, he would take over the team for the next season.

They celebrated with hands

After the victory with FCSB (1-0), Csikszereda mathematically ensured his retention in the Super League, for the first time in history on the first stage of Romanian football.

Ilyeș told that “before the last match, with FC Botoșani, we organized a party with the whole team, with families, with children, at a cabin in the mountains of Harghita. We celebrated because the boys brought a band from Sibiu.

It was nice, the players deserved it, everyone at the club deserved it. Because what we achieved was fabulous, what a lot we had. They all deserve congratulations and respect!”

Now Robert is preparing to play in the second leg next week, 20 years after that UEFA Cup quarter-final between FCSB and Rapid: “I haven't put on much weight since I was playing. I'm only about 7 kilos extra, but I can handle it. And we have a rematch!”

“I learned from coaching school that we have to be balanced, not confrontational. That's why I never went into the locker room after a loss. I didn't want to talk hot, to say things that I would regret. I would go home, watch the match again, to see where and who was wrong. It wasn't until the next day that I was talking to the players, because in Romania, if you say something to them, the footballers either answer you or don't accept the criticism.

I did it differently, I came with pictures, I showed them clearly where they were wrong, and then they couldn't say anything anymore. But they were also receptive. I only had problems once, with a player. At a practice I had him play another position and he answered me, in front of the group. I removed him, I went to Mr. President Szondi, he understood and removed him from the lot. From this point of view, I had all the support. But I controlled the locker room, things were resolved before they got to management.

Let's be honest, we didn't have a lot to fight in the Conference League play-off with FCSB or Dinamo. As for a possible presence in the preliminary rounds, no word. I had no problems with money, everything was paid on time. I don't know if they influenced the Hungarian elections with anything related to the financing of the club. I was never interested in that.

I never asked for a commission because I promoted a youngster or because I brought a player. I will never do such a thing. I am a coach and point! I don't want to stain myself, to take money because I debuted a young player. If you take money from a president once, that's it, you're in his hands, you no longer have credibility, the world points the finger at you! And I didn't work so hard to tarnish my career”
Robert Ilyes, former Csikszereda coach